Well done movie and well acted. I'm from Portland and remember the events all too well. Used to watch Tonya skate at Clackamas Town Center rink. She's my age. I remember the cruel media circus.
I appreciated the movie for showing a reason for her behavior, her actual lack of involvement in the "incident", and the disgraceful way media uses people's tragedy for entertainment and sales. She's a person.
On that note, I was disturbed by the making of this movie into a dark comedy. She was violently abused. She is a courageous fighter but with an abrasive and unpolished manner. Her incredible talent got her exploited by so many. If she only received $1500 for rights to her story for this movie...we did it again.
The way we, as a society, look down on and turn a disgusted blind eye on people who are poor, socially behave poorly or are abused is sickening. We objectify celebrities to a disgusting degree.
The elitist prejudice demonstrated by the skating community is spot on for many organizations developing our young kids, especially girls. This is the systemic racism, sometimes it's just prejudice towards poor, "low class" race.
It's not funny. It's not entertaining. It's a good movie but only if you really think about the underlying social statement it is making and use it for some self reflection.
I still feel physically sick after watching the movie. The take away from this movie should be that, over and over, Tonya was not helped or protected, ever. When people saw or knew of physical and emotional abuse she was further used, neglected or just abandoned. She was fearless, courageous, incredibly talented, a fighter not a delicate flower or victim. She's a real person with a life and sorrow. I'm proud of her for overcoming, surviving and wish her well.
I liked it for the disturbing jolting discomfort of a movie we want to "entertain us". In a scene after the "incident" in Jeff G's home, on TV in background, is coverage of OJ Simpson and murder scene of another woman whose abuse was ignored. The point is lost on too many people.
What was missing was a note at end of movie for who to call for help if you or someone you know is being abused. It's more pervasive than we acknowledge.